Item of Interest January 27, 1940 Issue

Item of Interest

The necessary details incident to the giving of a Christian Science lecture by a branch church are handled in many churches by a committee appointed for the purpose. The individual members, however, have an opportunity to assist by faithful mental work, and often in other ways. The importance of mental support on the part of church members in the preparatory work is pointed out in the folder of Recommendations for Lecture Arrangements issued annually by The Christian Science Board of Lectureship, and in articles appearing from time to time in the Christian Science periodicals. How best to enlist the active interest of members is a question for local determination. In some branch churches a meeting of the membership in the interest of a coming lecture is held a short time in advance, at which brief helpful citations are read from the Bible and from the works of our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy. Occasionally, pertinent articles from the periodicals or papers especially prepared for the occasion by members are read at such meetings.

The members may also co-operate by helping to increase the distribution of invitations and bring to the lecture a larger attendance of strangers and those who have but a slight interest in Christian Science. This they can do by sending to the committee handling arrangements the names and addresses of those to whom they wish invitations mailed, or by personally sending invitation cards, perhaps with a brief, cordial note, to acquaintances who have indicated friendliness toward Christian Science or some interest in the subject. One branch church sent a letter to every member, about a month before the date of the lecture, asking that each endeavor to bring at least one stranger or inquirer to the lecture.

Results have shown that it is helpful when members follow up their personal invitations with a telephone call, or by some other method reminding their friends of the day and hour of the lecture; or by offering to make arrangements for transportation when those invited might otherwise have difficulty in attending, or to secure reserved seat cards, where such are issued, for guests attending their first Christian Science lecture, and for those needing to have a seat near the platform.

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